The retirement of two teachers this year left two vacancies which the Pontiac Grade School Board of Education filled Thursday evening.

Superintendent Kevin Lipke said there were numerous quality applicants and administrators made “superb choices.”

The board hired Taylor Weber as a special education teacher and Amanda Royalty as a prekindergarten teacher.

Lipke noted that more than 100 applications had been received for the three new P.E. positions. Recommendations would be made in June, he said.

The board also hired a number of part-time employees as summer help to clean all the buildings.

In other action, the board:

• Voted to pursue a maintenance grant from the Illinois State Board of Education offering matching funds up to $50,000. Lipke said the intention is to pursue a $67,000 project that calls for blacktopping Washington and Junior High School parking lots.

• Learned the last day of school is now May 30 because of one snow day used and that eighth grade promotion would be May 24.

• Heard a presentation from Rotary Club representative Marlon Eilts that the club is seeking $1,500 commitments from the district, Education Foundation and PTO to match money offered by Humiston Trust and Rotary to purchase about 28 iPads for second and third grade classes. The request will be discussed in June.